Education Commons^™

Text Complexity: The Importance Of Building The Right Staircase, Aimee L. Papola-Ellis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

No abstract provided.

How Three Schools View The Success Of Literacy Coaching: Teachers’, Principals’ And Literacy Coaches’ Perceived Indicators Of Success, Kristen Ferguson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This paper investigates how the participants in literacy coaching (teachers, literacy coaches, and principals) perceive the success of their literacy coaching programs. This qualitative study uses data from interviews and observations of literacy coaching from three schools in Ontario, Canada. Four perceived indicators of success were found: growth in student achievement, improved teaching, an increase in professional dialogue in a safe environment, and a commitment to the literacy coach. While the study did not collect student data, the beliefs of teachers, literacy coaches, and principals are significant as perceptions of self and group efficacy can predict outcomes. This research suggests …

Editors' Note, Lauren Freedman, Susan V. Piazza, Maria Selena Protacio

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Short introduction to issue.

Reading Horizons, Vol. 53, No. 1

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons, volume 53, issue 1.

Comprehension Instruction For Elementary Learners: A Content Analysis Of Professional Literacy Texts, Margie Garcia, Mary Beth Sampson, Wayne M. Linek

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This study examined how reading comprehension was addressed in literacy texts used with preservice teachers at five universities in the southwestern United States. Universities were selected based on the highest number of graduates receiving their initial Early Childhood through 4th grade (EC-4) teaching certificates. An introductory Reading course was selected from each university. A total of 11 required textbooks were examined for definitions of reading comprehension, the presence of reading instructional incidents (RIIs), and reading comprehension instructional incidents (RCIIs). Overall, more RIIs (reading instruction) than RCIIs (reading instruction related to comprehension) were found.

Reading Is A Blast! Inside An Innovative Literacy Collaboration Between Public Schools And The Public Library, Maria T. Genest

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Public libraries have long supported the literacy goals of public schools in their communities by providing access to printed and electronic resources that enhance learning and teaching. This article describes an ongoing collaboration between the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh’s BLAST outreach program and the Pittsburgh Public Schools that has positively impacted thousands of students by increasing access to library resources while also emphasizing vocabulary, text-based discussion, and writing using both fiction and informational texts. This program can serve as a model for similar community partnerships that have the potential to enrich the literacy lives of students.

Making Their Voices Count: Using Students’ Perspectives To Inform Literacy Instruction For Striving Middle Grade Readers With Academic Difficulties, Carolyn Groff

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The consequences of lack of reading and poor reading skills are problematic for all students, regardless of background; however, for middle grade striving readers with academic difficulties these problems can lead to lower self-efficacy and motivation to engage in literacy tasks. Using the perspectives of urban, middle grade special education students, this article seeks to demonstrate how teachers can use student interview feedback to differentiate instruction by aligning their voices with appropriate practices. Consistent with previous research, (Roe, 2009; Smith &Wilhelm, 2002), the data show that supportive contexts increase self-efficacy and interest in reading. These perspectives have the potential to …

Reading Preferences And Perceptions Of Urban Eight Graders, Arlene L. Barry

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In order to identify materials that would encourage urban eighth graders to read, the authors asked students about the importance they placed on reading, about their own reading abilities, and the role of race and genre in their book choice. On the basis of subscale scores from the “Adolescent Motivation to Read Profile Reading Survey” (Pitcher, et. al., 2007) these students, as a whole, placed low value on reading, with females indicating a slightly higher value than males. In contrast, males indicated stronger self-concepts about their reading abilities than females. As a subgroup, Hispanic males reported the lowest overall average …

Editors' Note, Karen F. Thomas, April R. Zapata

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Short introduction to issue.

The Impact Of Social Interaction On Student Learning, Beth Hurst, Randall Wallace, Sarah B. Nixon

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Due to the lack of student engagement in the common lecture-centered model, we explored a model of instructional delivery where our undergraduate and graduate classes were structured so that students had opportunities for daily interaction with each other. Specifically, we examined how students perceived the value of social interaction on their learning by reflecting on their classroom experiences at the end of each class period. Three literacy teacher preparation courses during a summer session were chosen for this study based on the highly interactive nature of each course. The purpose of the study was not to determine the difference between …

Reading Horizons, Vol. 52, No. 4

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons, volume 52, issue 4.

Socializing Young Readers: A Content Analysis Of Body Size Images In Caldecott Medal Winners, Linda Wedwick, Nancy Latham

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Many studies have examined gender issues in children’s literature, but a review of the literature reveals that few studies have examined the instances of fatness in the images. Studying the fat representation in the images of children’s literature is important because exposure to a variety of body types may slow the rate of children’s body dissatisfaction. The present study examines exposure to body size images in picture books. Results of this content analysis indicate that there are fewer books with fat characters when compared to those without. However, when examining every image of body size within each text, there is …

Examing The Forces That Guide Teaching Decisions, Robin Griffith, Dixie Massey, Terry S. Atkinson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This study of two successful first grade teachers examines the forces that guide their instructional decisions. Findings reveal the complexities of forces that influence the moment-to-moment decisions made by these teachers. Teachers repeatedly attempted to balance their desires to be student-centered while addressing state standards and implementing their schools’ adopted curricula, with varying levels of success. The teachers’ professional knowledge was the determining factor in that success. Levels of professional development and the professional learning communities of these two teachers and the contexts in which they were operating influenced their attention to certain forces. Findings from this study indicate that …

The Big 5: Teacher Knowledge And Skill Acquisition In Early Literacy, Joanne P. Vesay, Karen L. Gischlar

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In this study, the investigators surveyed 215 early childhood educators throughout New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to determine teacher knowledge and training in early literacy instruction, with a focus on The 5 Big Ideas in Reading as identified by the National Reading Panel: phonological awareness, accuracy and fluency, alphabetic principle, vocabulary, and comprehension (National Reading Panel, 2000; Walpole, McKenna, Uribe-Zarain, & Lamitina, 2010). The survey response totals indicated that of the five literacy domains, early childhood teachers were most likely to have had training in phonological awareness and least likely to have had training in the domain of vocabulary. Across …

Inviting Teacher Candidates Into Book Talks: Supporting A Culture Of Lifelong Reading, Janine Bixler, Sally Smith, Susan Henderson

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article describes our collaborative inquiry, three teacher educators/researchers of literacy from different institutions who shared a concern about how few teacher candidates in our programs neither viewed themselves as readers nor possessed a love of reading, qualities we view as key to supporting all children as lifelong readers, writers, and communicators. In this paper, we share how we took action and studied the use of book talks in our programs to support a culture of lifelong reading among our teacher candidates and to offer possibilities for candidates’ future teaching experiences. The study took place over two years. In phase …

Picture Books Are For Little Kids, Aren’T They? Using Picture Books With Adolescent Readers To Enhance Literacy Instruction, Gwyn W. Senokossoff

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article discusses the benefits of using picture books with adolescent readers, describes strategies that can be taught with picture books, and provides examples of books the author has used. Some of the topics discussed include: reading comprehension, visual literacy, interactive read-aloud with facilitative talk, literary elements, and content-area reading. The advantages and disadvantages of using e-books and picture books that can be accessed online are also discussed. An annotated bibliography with more than 50 picture books is included in Appendix A. The books that may be accessed as e-books or audio CDs are also identified. Appendix B contains a …

Reading Horizons, Vol. 52, No. 3

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons, volume 52, issue 3.

Who Educates Teacher Educators About English Language Learners?, Zaline M. Roy-Campbell

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

With the increasing numbers of English language learners (ELLs) in schools across the United States, most teachers will have these students in their classrooms in the near future if not already. Due to the wide diversity of ELL students, all classroom teachers must be equipped to work with these students. This study presents the findings of a survey on the preparation of teacher educators in the literacy field for preparing general education English language arts teachers to work with ELL students in their classrooms. Since part of the preparation includes access to academic journals that address the teaching of ELL …

In Memoriam To Dorothy J. Mcginnis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

A letter from the Editor--Dorothy J. McGinnis passing.

At-Risk Preschool Children: Establishing Developmental Ranges That Suggest At-Promise, Lea M. Mcgee, Alanna Rochelle Dail

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The Early Reading First (ERF) program provided grants to transform preschools into centers of education excellence with the ultimate goal of preventing later reading difficulties (No Child Left Behind Act of 2001). The intent of ERF grants was to provide preschoolers with the necessary cognitive, early language, and literacy skills for success in kindergarten (United States Department of Education, 2007). Programs that received ERF funds were required to monitor children’s progress in specific literacy and language skills (i.e., automatic recognition of alphabet letters, knowledge of the conventions of print, understanding of phonemes and letters, and use of increasingly complex vocabulary) …

What Fifth-Grade Students Reveal About Their Literacies By Writing And Telling Narratives, Dennis S. Davis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Written and oral literacy narratives produced by seven fifth-grade students are examined to identify the literacy identities students construct when narrating their past and present experiences with reading and writing. The narrative analyses reveal four major findings: 1. The students who contributed to this study have experienced literacy in multiple modes and contexts indicative of relatively broad conceptions of what counts as literacy. 2. They primarily describe literacy experiences in positive or neutral terms; when literacy events are evaluated negatively, it is usually in response to literacy demands that diminished students’ feelings of autonomy. 3. Students in this study intuitively …

Looking Ahead With Hope: Reviving The Reading Maturity Construct As Social Science For Adolescent And Adult Readers, Matt Thomas

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

“Reading maturity” is a construct that looks broadly at reading development encompassing not only basic reading skills but reading habits, attitudes, and dispositions. It has a rich history and this article calls for a need to make reading maturity a necessary part of the literacy curriculum. It offers a working description and reviews past history of the construct, discusses why reading maturity is important, and provides ideas about monitoring progress toward reading maturity. This article asserts that the reading field has developed a solid understanding of how students acquire basic reading skill and content area literacy abilities. However, a compelling …

Improving Oral Reading Fluency Through Readers Theatre, Maryann Mraz, William Nichols, Safronia Caldwell, Rene Beisley, Stephan Sargent, William Rupley

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In order for students to learn how to construct meaning from text, teachers must apply instructional strategies that will help readers transition from simple decoding of words to fluent word identification. This article will provide an overview of the literature related to the role of fluency in reading; explain research-based recommendations for fostering fluency with struggling readers; discuss the use of repeated readings, in particular Readers Theatre, as an instructional strategy for developing fluency; and present the findings of a study in which a third-grade teacher applied Readers Theatre to improve the fluency levels of her struggling readers.

An Investigation Of The Efficacy Of One Urban Literacy Academy: Enhancing Teacher Capacity Through Professional Development, J. Helen Perkins, Kathleen Cooter

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

In order to systemically improve student achievement in elementary literacy, a large urban school district partnered with a local university to develop a model for high-quality professional development that hopefully would result in long-term changes in teachers’ literacy instructional/practices. Schools were selected based on their Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading/language arts’ status. The resulting literacy academy provided approximately 150 hours of professional development over time through two semesters of graduate level course work; 60 hours of it job-embedded. The Literacy Academy was based on a capacity-building model to build teacher knowledge and expertise in reading instruction, specifically in the …

Reading Horizons, Vol. 52, No. 2

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Complete issue of Reading Horizons, volume 52, issue 2.

Addressing Reading Underachievement In African American Boys Through A Multi-Contextual Approach, Terry Husband

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Much has been written about reading disparities between African American males and other student groups. Interestingly, the majority of this scholarship focuses on African American males at pre-adolescent states of development and beyond. To date, relatively little has been documented relative to improving reading outcomes in African American males in early childhood and elementary contexts. The purpose of this article is to present a multi-contextual framework for improving reading outcomes in African American boys in P-5 contexts specifically. I conclude with a discussion of three important commitments that teachers and administrators must be willing to embrace in order for these …

Exploring Bilingual Books With Five Chinese First Graders: Children’S Responses And Biliteracy Development, Ran Hu, Xiaoning Chen, Xiuping Li

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This qualitative case study examines how five Chinese first graders responded to bilingual English/Chinese picture books and how bilingual books used during an eight-week study session impacted their bilingual and biliteracy development. Reader response and socio-cultural theories were the theoretical perspectives that underpin this study. Four bilingual picture books were selected for the five participating Chinese children to read during an eight-week period. The researchers specifically sought answers to two questions: (1) How do Chinese children respond to the bilingual books? (2) What impact do the bilingual book study sessions have on children’s bilingual and biliteracy development? The findings suggested …

New Authors, New Books, And New Horizons, Barbara A. Ward, Terrell A. Young

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Enersen, Adele. (2012). When my baby dreams. New York: HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray. 48 pages, $14.99, ISBN: 978-0-062-07175-0.

Lewis, Caron. (2012). Stuck with the blooz. Illus. by Jon Davis. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books. 40 pages, $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-547-74560-2.

Ashley-Hollinger, Mika. (2012). Precious Bones. New York: Delacorte. 344 pages, $16.99, ISBN: 978-0-385-74219-1.

Dias Lorenzi, Natalie. (2012). Flying the dragon. Illus. by Kelly Murphy. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. 240 pages, $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-580-89434-0.

Krumwiede, Lana. (2012). Freakling. Watertown, MA: Candlewick Press, 320 pages, $15.99, ISBN: 978-0-763-65937-0.

Palacio, R.J. (2012). Wonder. New York: Random House, 313 pages, $15.99, ISBN: 978-0-3758-6902-0.

Andrews, Jesse. (2012). Me …

Article Index

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Index to articles in volume 52.

The Metalinguistic Protocol: Making Disciplinary Literacies Visible In Secondary Teaching And Learning, Kerry G. Mcarthur

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

Concerns about adolescent literacy continue to be highlighted in regards to the challenges of reading and learning from academic text. Recent efforts to address these concerns have led to an examination of the disciplines and their specialized ways of thinking and using language. In this article I discusses a metalinguistic protocol in a think-aloud process as a framework to use in university content area literacy courses with secondary preservice teachers to examine the language and thinking as it is used in the disciplines of knowledge and to address the implications of disciplinary literacies for teaching and learning in secondary schooling.